NEW DELHI: In a move that could perhaps deter the Opposition members from entering the well or displaying disorderly conduct in the upcoming second phase of the Budget session from March 13, the Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has referred the names of 12 Opposition MPs to Upper House’s Committee of Privilege to investigate.
Dhankhar had accused the lawmakers of a ‘breach of privilege’ and disorderly conduct after they entered the well of the Council during the first round of the budget session.
With this decision by Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, actions against the named 12 MPs are likely to follow after the submission of the report of the investigation by the RS’s Committee of Privilege on the named members’ alleged ‘unruly’ conducts displayed during the first round of budget session-concluded on February 13.
According to the Rajya Sabha bulletin: “Members are informed that the chairman, RS, has referred a question of the alleged breach of privilege arising out of gross disorderly conduct displayed by the RS MPs in violation of rules and etiquette of Rajya Sabha by repeatedly entering the well of the Council, shouting slogans and persistently and wilfully obstructing the proceedings of the Council, compelling the Chair to repeatedly adjourned the sittings of the council under Rule 203 of the Rules of Procedures and Conduct of Business in the Council of States(RS) to the committee of Privilege for examination, investigation and report.”
The Rajya Sabha’s Committee of Privilege will look into the alleged unruly conduct of MPs namely Sanjay Singh, ShaktiSingh Gohil, Sushil Kumar Gupta, Sandeep Kumar Pathak, Naranbhai J Rathwa, Syed Nasir Hussain, Kumar Katihar, Imran Pratapgarhi, L Hanumanathaiah, Phulo Devi Netam, Jebi Mather Hisham and Ranjeet Ranjan. Among 12 named MPs, nine MPs belong to Congress Party and three to the Aam Adami Party (AAP).
The Rajya Sabha in another bulletin further stated that "the members are informed that the Chairman, RS, has referred a question of an alleged breach of privilege arising out of non-adherence to the directions of the Chair vis-à-vis repeated submission of identical notices under rule 267 by Shri Sanjay Singh, member RS, under rule 203 of the Rules of Procedures and Conduct of Business in the Council of States(Rajya Sabha) to the Committee of Privilege for examination investigation and report.”
The Opposition members were demanding a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into the Hindenburg report on the Adani group. The Opposition members continued creating a ruckus with a demand for a JPC probe into the Adani row during the first phase of the Budget session in RS.
They also staged walkouts against the government’s dillydally stand on the JPC probe. Irked by an alleged case of unruly conduct, Dhankar had suspended Congress MP Rajni Patil for recording mobile videos of the ruckus. The suspension had further riled up the Opposition members.
Reacting to the Rajya Sabha chairman referring the matter to the Committee of privilege, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury told the media that it was the first time when the Chairman referred a question to the Privileges Committee citing that members continued serving notices under rule 267 every day.